Hosts examine the pivotal role of Viktor Sukhodrev, the Soviet interpreter during the Cuban Missile Crisis negotiations. The episode analyzes how his nuanced translation of Khrushchev's inflammatory rhetoric into diplomatic English helped prevent escalation at critical moments. Through detailed examination of specific exchanges, we explore how Sukhodrev balanced maintaining message accuracy while defusing potentially explosive linguistic triggers, all while under intense pressure as nuclear war loomed. The hosts break down the specific Russian phrases that required cultural contextualization and how subtle word choices influenced the emotional temperature of the negotiations.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ver todos los episodios